Links

The Calgary Flames' long trip down rebuild road isn't about to swerve off-course and change direction.

If the Coyotes teams newly-appointed Flames GM Brad Treliving's helped put together in Phoenix are any indication, his team-building philosophy is remarkably similar to the plan set in motion by president of hockey operations Brian Burke.

It essentially boils down to getting bigger and stockpiling young talent through the draft.

"For long-term success, you have to use the draft to build your club," Treliving said. "You have one draft a year, so this is not taking the other 363 days and letting the calendar tick off. We're going to be aggressive daily to make our team better.

"Having said that, we're not going to compromise the youth and the future of our team to try and make us three points better in November or win one more game."

Treliving and Burke agreed the Flames would continue to pick the best player available in the draft instead of drafting for specific positions.

The Coyotes' recent history, however, suggests there's a type of player Treliving likes and offers a hint into the direction he'll likely take the organization.

The Coyotes used four of their six picks on centres in the 2013 draft, including taking Max Domi with the 12th overall pick and Laurent Dauphin and Yan-Pavel Laplante with their second and third round selections, respectively.

A year earlier, the Coyotes also chose centres with their first and second-round picks.

Burke promised that Treliving will have full autonomy over trades, free-agent signings and draft decisions, and while the new GM acknowledged the value of adding centres he insisted the Coyotes always took the best player available regardless of position.

It also helped that the organization had strength-in-depth on the blue-line, having drafted Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Brandon Gormley and Connor Murphy with their top picks in recent years.

"I firmly believe you build your teams from the back out, it starts in goal but it's built on the blueline," Treliving said. "Then, it's built up through the centre of the ice.

"If you look at the teams that are playing now, there's no team that's weak on the blueline and weak up the centre of the ice. Those are critical positions and they'll be treated as such here."

Adding size, though, will also remain a priority. Just like it did in Treliving's time in Phoenix.

Heading into the 2013-14 season, a report by the Globe and Mail's James Mirtle had the Coyotes ranked as the fourth tallest and sixth heaviest team in the NHL. The Flames were 28th in both categories.

Like Burke, Treliving believes getting bigger is the only way for the Flames to one day compete with the NHL's elite Stanley Cup contenders.

"One hundred percent, I think we need to get bigger," Treliving said. "That's not just a personal preference. Turn on the TV today and watch the games.

"This is about winning a championship, and there's steps along the way - we've got to take a lot of steps - in order to be there at the end, in order to build a championship, you do have to have a blueprint and you look at the games that are being played right now and it's hard hockey, it's heavy hockey.

As Advertised in the Calgary SUN

Flames GM Treliving staying true

The Calgary Flames' long trip down rebuild road isn't about to swerve off-course and change direction.

If the Coyotes teams newly-appointed Flames GM Brad Treliving's helped put together in Phoenix are any indication, his team-building philosophy is remarkably similar to the plan set in motion by president of hockey operations Brian Burke.

It essentially boils down to getting bigger and stockpiling young talent through the draft.

"For long-term success, you have to use the draft to build your club," Treliving said. "You have one draft a year, so this is not taking the other 363 days and letting the calendar tick off. We're going to be aggressive daily to make our team better.

"Having said that, we're not going to compromise the youth and the future of our team to try and make us three points better in November or win one more game."